Alison Dennis grew up in various cities and towns in Oregon, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Her involvement in music started at a young age as she participated in church choirs and school band. She received a literature degree and some a cappella choir experience from Oberlin College in Ohio before moving to Portland, Oregon, where she has lived, with the exception of a short stint in New Orleans, for over a decade. Currently she writes, records and performs music under the name Dr. Something, performs keyboards, sax, and vocals in the psych rock band All I Feel Is Yes, creates visual art, and works a mundane office job to pay the bills. Alison and Michael talk about learning music in church, being a spacey kid, rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, artificial intelligence as metaphor for queer liberation, and losing control over being a control freak.

“Listening to interesting characters talk about how music serves as a map of their personal, emotional journey through life is one of those simple, brilliant ‘why didn’t I think of that’ ideas that works so well.” —David Maher.